Recreational apparatus.



No. 649,39I. Patented May 8,1900.. A. L. BAIRD. RECREATIONAL APPARATUS.

(Application-@ldd Sept. 15; 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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No. 649,391. Patented May 8, |900. A. L. BAIRD.

RECREATHINAL APPARATUS.

(Apphcatxon filed Sept 15 1899 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

- l/sI vsuron No. 649,39l. Patented may s, |900. A. L. BAmn.

RECREATIONAL APPARATUS.

(Application filed Sept. 15, 1899.)

(No Mudel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

WITNESS'ES v /N VVEN TDR A170RNE YS.

UNTTnn STATES PATENT GFFICE.

.l AaomBA'LD LAIDLAw BAIRD, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

RECREATIONAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 649,391, dated May 8,1900.

Application liled September 15, 1899. Serial No. 7301623. (No model.)

.T0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD LAIDLAw BAIRD, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at S Upper Bedford Place, London,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRecreational Apparatus Adapted to be Used in Public Grounds and LikePlaces, (for which I have made application for Letters Patent in GreatBritain,No. 1,846, bearing date January 2G, 1899,) of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in recreational apparatus adaptedto be used in public grounds and like places; and it consists of acombination and arrangement of parts devised with the object ofsuggesting or resembling as far as possible aerial flight.

A distinguishing and the principal characteristic of my invention is thenature or arrangement of the route traversed by the passenger-ears,which is so disposed that the cars are caused to return to approximatelythe same place as that from which they started, such journey or progressbeing continuous, the route followed resembling as far as possible theflight of the well-known boomerang.

In carrying out my invention I employ a looped or pear-shapedl trackwhich is provided with two rails for the purpose of receiving frames orcarriages from which passenger-cars are suspended. The passengercars maybe of any suitable shape and construction, though I prefer to make themof a light but strong and durable construction, pointed at the front orboth ends, so as to resemble in general outline a torpedo or cigar, asthis form offers little resistance to progress through the air and ismore or less suggestive of aerial flight. The track traversed by thepassenger-cars is divided into three sections-an undulating downwardslope from the top of which the cars start and descend by gravity, anascending slope up which they are carried or driven, as will behereinafter explained, by an endless drivingband to a height greaterthan the startingpoint from which they have previously descendedbygravity, and an undulating slope down which after being released fromthe driving-band they travel by gravity to approximately the same pointas that from which they originally started.

Instead of a single set of rails I may, if it is found desirable, employtwo or more parallel sets, thus increasing the earning capacity of myrecreational apparatus, and I may, if desired, provide any suitableappliances for releasing the passenger-ears on starting and for bringingthem to a standstill at the end of their journey.

The grounds surrounding the car route or track are built up orconstructed to resemble mountain scenery,passes,ravin es,valleys, dsc.,so as to add to the suggestion of aerial flight, and tunnels may also beprovided at intervals.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan showing the form of route traversed by thepassenger-cars and the manner in which the sur; 'rounding grounds may bebuilt up or constructed so as to add to the suggestion of aerial flight.Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line X Y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation showing, on a reduced scale, a horizontal development of thesaid car route or track. Figs. 4 to '7 illustrate the method by whichthe passenger-cars are carried or driven up the ascending slope beforereferred to, Fig. et being a diagram of the arrangement of driving-bandand double-chain wheels, Fig. 5 a diagram illustrating the action of thesaid driving` band, and Figs. 6 and 7 details of the construction of thedriving-band. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the construction of car I havedevised.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the platform by which the passengers enterthe cars. a is the winding path ascending thereto. B is the firstsection of the car-track. C is the endless driving-band by which thecars are driven or carried up the ascending or second section D of thecar-track. Il is the third section of the car-track. F is the platformat which the passen gers alight. j" is the winding pathway descendingtherefrom. G are tunnels, and H are passes or ravines, which may bedisposed at various part-s of the route and which may be crossed bybridges h.

The central space inclosed by the car route or track may be adapted toform a Swiss cottage or village or may contain a number of IOO `fordriving the passenger-car.

which on the car route or track is shown in Figs. l and 3. Thedriving-band C is formed of two chains c, driven by two pairs of toothedwheels c and connected at suitable intervals by bars carrying thecar-driving device. The chains c consist of alternate block-links c2 andlinks c3, connecting the block-links and embracing the teeth of thewheels c'. The cardriving device consists of counter-weighted pivotedcams or projections c4, mounted on enlargements c5 of the bars c6. Theenlargements c5 of the bars cs are provided with a keyway to receive awedge c7. Segmental slots c8 are cut in the pivoted cams or projections04 to allow of their moving through a suficiently-large angle to enablea passengerca r to overrun the driving-band when its speed exceeds thatof the driving-band, and the acting ends of the cams or projections musthave lsuiici'ent weight to promptly return them to the correct positionfor being acted on by or Springs may be used as an additional means forinsuring the prompt return of the cams or projections. of representssleeves fixed to the bars c6 by screws c1", which serve as a means forkeeping the cams orprojections in position and for preventing theshifting of the wedges c7. The driving-band is placed over the center ofthe car-track and comes in contact with a projection c11 on the frame orcarriage from which the passenger-car is suspended. The

driving-band may be driven by a steam or gas engine or anelectric motor.The action of the driving-band will be understood from the foregoingdescription and an inspection of Fig. 5, which shows in full lines a carbeing picked 'the-footboards. As will be seen, the cross-section of thecar somewhat resembles that of a boat. The under surface of the cars iscovered with wire network, perforated metal, or'the like, so as toafford a view of the scenery underneath, and thus add to the suggestionof aerial flight. M represents the ends of projecting rods carried bythe cars, which enter eyes in the lower ends of the rods K. The upperends of the rods K are provided with eyes fitting the ends of cross-barsN, carried by the frame or carriage I. O represents flanged wheelsmounted on the ends of axles O,carried in suitable brackets O2 on theframe or carriage I. The flan ged wheels O are adapted to run on railsP,which are supported at suitable intervals by brackets Q, secured tothe surrounding structure, the constructive details of which are coveredup so as to increase the realistic effect of the surrounding parts. Bythus suspending, as above described, the passenger-car from the frame'or carriage by means of rods jointed to the frame or carriage and carthe rods will always hang vertical and the cars assume a positionparallel to the rails, no matter what the inclination of the car courseor track may be, while the rolling contact afforded by the frame orcarriage, being supported on wheels, reduces resistance to the forwardmotion of the cars to a minimum.

I prefer in cases where very sharp curves obtain to construct theforward par-t of the frame or carriage so that the front wheels mayswivel.

The general action or operation of my improved recreational apparatus isas follows: A car starts from the platform A and passes .over the firstsection B of the track by means of gravity. The car is carried by itsmomentum partly up the second section D and is automatically picked upby the driving-band C when the speed of the latter exceeds that of thecar. The car when automatically released from the driving-band C has hadsuiiicient momentum imparted to it to insure its passage over the finalsection E of the track and arrival at the platform F, situated atapproximately its point of departure.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In gravity-railways for recreational purposes, the combination ofgravity-actuated suspended cars, a looped or pear-shaped track IIOarranged as mountain scenery provided with tunnels and passes, saidtrack being provided with an intermediate ascending section up which acar partly runs by previously-acquired momentum, an overheaddriving-band disposed in said intermediate ascending section andprovided with pivoted cams or projections arranged to travel with theband and adapted to allow a car to overrun the driving-band when itsspeed exceeds that of the driving-band and to piek the car up when itsspeed falls below that of the driving-band in order to` raise it to agreater height than that from which it started, substantially asdescribed.

2. In gravity-railways for recreational purposes, a driving-bandconsisting of two chains connected by bars, such bars being provided atintervals with pivoted cams or projections capable of a limited motionin one direction, substantially as described.

3. In gravity-railways for recreational purposes, a driving-bandconsisting of two chains connected by bars, said bars being provided atintervals with an enlarged portion upon l which a cam or projection ismounted, a Wedge tting into a keyway in said enlargement and takin ginto a segmental slot in said cam or projection and sleeves forretaining the said cam or projection and wedge in position, as describedherein.

4. In gravity-railways for recreational purposes, the combination of afrarne or carriage provided with Wheels, a car constructed ofangle-steel framework and suspended by rods

